1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a hard surface cleaner especially effective on bathroom soils, such as soap scum.
2. Brief Statement of the Related Art
A number of hard surface cleaners have been specially formulated to target bathroom soils. These include products containing liquid hypochlorite for combating mildew and fungus; products with quaternary ammonium compounds as bacteriostats; and acidic cleaners, such as those containing phosphoric or other strong mineral acids.
These cleaners will typically include buffers, dyes, fragrances, and the like in order to provide performance and/or aesthetic enhancements.
Graubart et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,984, discloses a cleaning composition comprising quaternary ammonium compounds, tetrasodium EDTA, a mixture of surfactants, and a glycol ether. However, the reference fails to teach, disclose or suggest the use of potassium EDTA as a chelating agent.
Garabedian et al., U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,252,245, 5,437,807 and 5,468,423, and Choy et al.., U.S. Pat. No. 5,585,342, all of common assignment herewith, disclose improved glass and surface cleaners which combine either amphoteric or nonionic surfactants with solvents and effective buffers to provide excellent streaking/filming characteristics on glass and other smooth, glossy surfaces. These disclosures are incorporated herein by reference thereto.
Co-pending application Ser. No. 08/807,187, filed Mar. 5, 1998 as a continued prosecution application of similarly named Ser. No. 08/807,187, filed Feb. 27, 1997, now abandoned, itself a continuation of Ser. No. 08/507,543, filed Jul. 26, 1995, now abandoned of Zhou et al., entitled "Antimicrobial Hard Surface Cleaner," of common assignment, discloses and claims an antimicrobial hard surface cleaner which includes amine oxide, quaternary ammonium compound and tetrasodium EDTA, in which a critical amine oxide: EDTA ratio results in enhanced non-streaking and non-filming performance.
Co-pending application Ser. No. 08/979,022, filed Nov. 26, 1997, a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/605,822, filed Feb. 23, 1996, now abandoned of Choy et al., entitled "Composition and Apparatus for Surface Cleaning," of common assignment, discloses and claims a hard surface cleaner which uses a dual chamber delivery system, one chamber containing an oxidant solution and the other, a combination of chelating agents and surfactants.
Co-pending application Ser. No. 08/632,041, filed Apr. 12, 1996 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,814,591, of Mils et al., entitled "Hard Surface Cleaner with Enhanced Soil Removal," of common assignment, discloses and claims a hard surface cleaner which includes surfactants and tetrammonium EDTA for proficient soap scum and soil removal.
However, none of the art discloses, teaches or suggest the use of tetrapotassium EDTA as an effective chelating agent which additionally surprisingly enhances the soil removing, especially soap scum-removing, ability of the liquid, one phase cleaners formulated therewith. Additionally, unlike some of the prior chelating agents, tetrapotassium EDTA has very low to no odor, which is a significant beneficial attribute to the inventive cleaners hereof. Moreover, none of the art discloses, teaches or suggests the unexpected speed at which the inventive cleaners work.